MUMBAI: In 2009, box-office returns in China climbed 44 per cent compared to that of last year to reach $910 million (RMB6.2bn), the highest growth rate in the last six years. In 2008, the growth rate was 27 per cent.

It has been observed that since 2003, the country‘s box-office gross has been continuously growing at an average rate of 30 per cent. China Film Group Corporation spokesperson Weng Li announced the figures after receiving the data during a meeting with officials of State Administration Of Radio Film And Television (SARFT).

Hollywood blockbusters like 2012, Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince and Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs performed strongly.

2012 and Transformers claimed the top two spot at the box-office and each broke the RMB400m mark with $67.5m (RMB461.02m) and $63m (RMB430.29m), respectively. Chinese film Founding Of A Republic garnered $61.49m (RMB420m).

Beijing‘s cinema managers attributed box-office growth to the surge in exhibition especially due to multiplexes developed within large shopping malls.

According to Weng there were 4,700 screens including 750 3D screens and 1,800 digital screens at the end of 2009 that showed a climb of 603 screens from 2008.